Lighting specifically means how does the light look in the image and how does it alter the tone.

Composition is how and where your subjects end up in the camera frame.

Rule of Thirds - Place your subject off-center. Makes your image more appealing if you use a 3x3 grid. Put your subject on the cross-hairs of the grid.

Background - Show one clear subject; get rid of background distration so you can isolate one focal point. You can lower your aperture (f2.8 or lower) to make the background blurry.

Angle - Consider altering the angle you're shooting your subject. Lower or higher angles tell viewers something different about the subject than a straight on angle.

Flash - This gives images a snapshot quality of the 90s. Leave your flash on "off" rather than on "auto" to prevent this look. Unless you want that snapshot quality.

Daylight / Sun - Make sure your subject isn't facing into the sun. If the sun is too bright then your subject will look silhouette. Turn the flash on, here to fill the subject in.

Manual Zoom - Don't zoom in on screen but rather move yourself closer.

Horizontal - Shoot with the camera horizontal and not vertical in portrait mode.

Editing Applications Worth Mentioning

There are many as many ways to edit an image as there are to take a picture. Many photographers find a way to make their artwork standout in how they edit images in post. You can do this with your smartphone or tablet using some of the following applications.

In looking for basic guides for how to use the latest versions of Instagram filters to make more in-depth adjustments, I came across a startling variety of videos that were not worth our while. I want to mention that it is great to get ideas from other artists, but do not simply copy the filter style of someone you admire. Develop your own sense of photographic style. It's hard work.